The subject invention is generally related to a siphon apparatus which utilizes pressure greater than ambient pressure to initiate fluid transfer flow from a container to a desired transfer site and is specifically directed to a siphon apparatus having a base with openings for inserting a fluid transfer tube and a pressurizing tube.
By using a siphon device, fluid can be transferred from a container without necessitating lifting and pouring from the container and the opportunity for spillage is eliminated or significantly reduced. Siphon devices for initiating and sustaining fluid transfer flow from a first site, such as a container, to a desired transfer site, are well known and have been available for many years. The best known siphon apparatus consists of a simple siphon tube having a discharge end and an opposite end which is placed in contact with the fluid to be transferred. Typically, fluid flow is initiated in the siphon tube by a sucking action on the discharge end of the tube. Once siphon action flow has been initiated, the discharge end of the tube is then quickly thrust into a desired transfer site, such as a receiving container, before the fluid has reached the exit of the discharge tube. While a simple siphon tube serves the purpose of initiating fluid flow without lifting and pouring from the fluid's container, it is often difficult to transfer the discharge end of the tube to the receiving container before the fluid has reached the discharge end. Thus, the use of a simple tube often results in an unwanted mouthful of fluid or excessive fluid spillage or both.
More complex siphon devices utilize a system of "squeeze bulb" and in-transfer-line check valves which are employed to generate suction pressure pulses to lift fluid in the transfer tube to a height necessary to induce siphon action. While more complex siphon apparatus may overcome the problems of a simple siphon tube, they are prone to mechanical failure, check valve leakage which prevents generation of sufficient suction pressure to induce siphon action flow and external fluid leakage where the check valve housing mechanism is coupled within the transfer tube. In addition, the presence of check valve mechanisms may introduce an impedance of the fluid flow capability of an otherwise unencumbered fluid transfer tube thereby causing the fluid transfer time to be greater than would otherwise elapse.
Another type of prior art siphon apparatus is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,783,888 entitled "Siphon", issued to Johnson on Jan. 8, 1974. This type of siphon apparatus consists of two tubes and a cover for sealing the opening of the fluid container. Both tubes pass through the cover to enter the opening of the fluid container. One tube is utilized as the conduit by which a lung-mouth delivered air supply is employed to pressurize the air space above the contained fluid until siphon action flow is initiated. The other tube is utilized as the siphon action tube by which fluid is evacuated from the container.
While this type of siphon apparatus eliminates the problems of the simple siphon tube and avoids the disadvantages of the more complex siphon devices, a major disadvantage is that the opening of the container or first site from which fluid transfer is desired must be large enough to accommodate both the pressurizing and fluid transfer tubes. For example, where the fluid container has a small opening or when the fluid container opening is hidden from view, it may be impossible to position the pressurizing tube in the opening of the container to initiate the siphon action into the fluid transfer tube. Thus, the use of this prior art siphon apparatus imposes a size limitation on the diameter of the fluid transfer tube because the diameter must be small enough so that both the fluid transfer tube and pressurizing tube can be inserted into the opening of the container. By limiting the diameter of the fluid transfer tube, the fluid transfer rate from the first site to the desired transfer site is also limited.
While some of the disadvantages of the prior art siphon devices can be avoided by attaching a fitted cover to the opening of the fluid container, the use of a siphon apparatus with a fitted cover may be severely limited because it is uniquely configured to mate with a certain container opening of a single size and is not universal in application to containers having different sized openings. Moreover, all of the prior art siphon devices which initiate siphon action using a pressurizing tube appear to require that the opening of the fluid container accommodate two tubes and thereby impose a size limit on the diameter of the fluid transfer tube.
Thus, the prior art siphon devices which utilize a tube to initiate the siphon action and another tube to transfer the fluid may be unsuitable or impossible to use in certain applications. For example, such a siphon apparatus would not be desirable in an on-the-water transfer of fuel from a "gasoline can" to the fuel tank fill pipe of a motor boat where a reasonably short fluid transfer time is of importance.
Therefore, there is a need for a simple siphon apparatus which allows fluid to be transferred in a reasonably short transfer time from a first site to a desired site without lifting and pouring, avoids unwanted mouthfuls of fluid, eliminates excessive fluid spillage and can be used to transfer fluid from a container having any size opening provided that the opening of the fluid container is large enough to accommodate a single tube for transferring the fluid. There is also a need for a means for storing the siphon apparatus so that it may be readily utilized and easily stowed.